FOR RELEASE:  October 20, 1993            CONTACT:    Tom DeRocco
                                                   (202) 208-3983

            MMS ANNOUNCES PUBLIC MEETINGS ON OPA 90 
                FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (#30051)

     The Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service
(MMS) announced today a schedule of meetings to gather information
and data pertinent to the development of regulations implementing
financial responsibility requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of
1990 (OPA '90).

     The meeting dates are as follows: 

          1) November 2, 1993, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., New Orleans,
          Louisiana at the MMS Regional Office, 1420  S. Clearview
          Parkway

          2) November 4, 1993, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Houston,
          Texas in the Doubletree Hotel at Allen Center, 400
          Dallas Street at Bagby 

          3) November 30, 1993, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., San
          Francisco, California in the Ramada Hotel at the
          Fisherman's Wharf

          4) During 1994, two other meetings will take place: one
          in the Eastern U.S. and a second gathering for
          Anchorage, Alaska

     "The intention of the law was to strengthen oil spill
prevention, response capabilities, and cleanup efforts in addition
to ensuring the payment of damages resulting from oil spills,
should they occur," MMS Director Tom Fry explained.

     On August 25, 1993, MMS published an Advance Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) advising all operators of facilities
handling oil and oil products located in, on, or under the
navigable waters of the United States that they will need to
provide evidence of financial responsibility.     

     "When we announced the ANPR in August," declared Fry, "I said
that those most affected should have an opportunity to help us
write the rules consistent with the statute.  These public meetings
provide that opportunity."

     Fry also noted that the comment period was extended to
December 24, 1993.

                              -MMS-

                                                  August 25, 1993

                             Summary
         of Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)
   for OPA 90 Oil Spill Financial Responsibility Requirements
                     for Offshore Facilities

This ANPR announces that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is
in the process of developing new regulations to implement the oil
spill financial responsibility requirements of the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990 (OPA 90) for offshore facilities.  In addition, it
summarizes the legislative authority for the proposed regulations
and solicits information and opinions from all affected parties
and the general public on issues and proposed solutions to
potential problems presented by the OPA 90 requirements.

Publication of an ANPR in the Federal Register is the first step
in the formal rulemaking process.  The purpose of the ANPR is to
identify the major issues and to collect sufficient information
on these issues to prepare balanced regulations within the
boundaries of the law; and to prepare a Determination of Effects
of the Rule (DOER) and, if required, a Regulatory Impact Analysis
(RIA) and a Small Entity Flexibility Analysis (SEFA).  The next
step in the formal rulemaking process is the publication in the
Federal Register of a Notice of Proposed Rule (NPR) in mid-1995. 
Each of these steps in the consideration of public comments and
concerns.

The referenced OPA 90 requirements:

     ø    Expand the Department of the Interior/MMS oil spill
          financial responsibility authority from just the
          Federal OCS waters to all the navigable waters of the
          United States, States and Territories.  Note that
          "navigable water" traditionally has been interpreted to
          include the oceans, coastal waters, rivers and streams,
          most lakes, and wetlands.

     ø    Broadly defines the categories of activities that fit
          the definition of "offshore facilities" to include a
          pipeline or other facility located in, on, or under
          navigable water.  Such facilities as a marina which
          fuels boats from a floating dock, any fuel tank in a
          wetland, or an oil tank farm with pipelines running
          under a stream MAY all be affected by this rule.

     ø    Increase oil spill financial responsibility required of
          OCS operators from $35 million to $150 million, and for
          the first time places this $150 million requirement on
          all operators of "offshore facilities" in all navigable
          waters.

     ø    Increase civil penalties for failure to comply from $10
          thousand per incident to $25 thousand per incident per
          day.

The major issues the questions in the ANPR address are:

     ø    Types and locations of "offshore facilities" subject to
          the OPA 90 financial responsibility requirements;

     ø    Methods available to evidence OPA 90 financial
          responsibility;

     ø    Interaction of States, Territories and Federal
          governments to enforce OPA 90 financial responsibility;

     ø    Possible defenses for the responsible party, the
          guarantors, and other financial backers; and 

     ø    Economic effects of OPA 90 financial responsibility
          requirements on individuals and companies, and the
          effect on oil productions and distribution.

These major issues are presented in much greater detail in the
ANPR to ensure that:

     ø    All parties that may be affected by new regulations
          implementing OPA 90 financial responsibility
          requirements under Sections 1016, 1018, and 1019 are
          made fully aware of the issues;

     ø    The issues are fully ventilated; and

     ø    Potential effects are fully described and regulations
          are developed to implement the statute effectively with
          minimal unnecessary burdens.

Subject: PR-10/20/93 OPA '90 Public mtgs(#30051)